William w



Sept. 28 1926. 1,601,967

w. w. HAWKINS IGNITION SYSTEM Filed Feb. 20. 1922 I/VIE/VTO/F:

- W WM HHW/V/VS By W 62% 30 of the interrupter.

Patented Sept. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATESHPATENOT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. HAWKINS, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WEBSTER ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF RACIN E, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

Application filed February 20, 1922. Serial No. 537,986.

My invention relates to an ignition system, and more particularly to an ignition system comprising an induction coil excited from a battery.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the application of my invention to the ignition equipment of a four cylinder-engine. The engine indicated at is provided with spark plugs 11-11. Diagrammatically indicated as a whole by reference numeral 12 is an induction coil of conventional or any suitable design, said induction coil comprlsing primary and secondary windings 14 and 15 and a core 16,. At 15 17 I have illustrated an interrupter comprising -a cam which normally holds the v interrupter contacts separated, the. contacts being permitted to close but momentarily four times during each revolution of the cam. The cam is driven by and in timed relation to the engine, the interrupter contacts closing and suddenly opening when a gllrarge in any one of the cylinders is to be ed.= One end of the induction coil primary 14 'is connected by conductor 18 to the stationary or insulated contact of the interrupter 17, the other end of said primary being grounded along with the movable contact A condenser 20 is connected across the interrupter contacts.

I now call attention to the special inductance coil unit which is indicated as a wholev by reference numeral21. This inductance coil unit comprises awinding 22 which is disposed upon one side or leg of a rectangular magnetic core structure 23. One endof winding 22 may be connected through switch 24 with the ungrounded terminal 40 of a battery 25. The other end of the winding 22 is connected with conductor 18 at a point intermediate the primary 14 and the stationary interrupter contact.

Also carried by rectangular core 23 is a winding 26 which is permanentl short eircuited upon itself. Wmding 26 1s preferably, but not necessarily, similar in all respects to winding 22.

. One end of secondary 15 is grounded in the usual manner, the other end of said secondary being "connectedwith the flier of a suitable distributor mechanism 27-, the flier being adapted successively and in proper sequence to connect the secondary with the spark plugs 11-l1. V

Switch 24 is, of course, closed when the engine is running. Now letus assume that the distributor flier has connected the secondary with one of the spark plugs, and that a spark is about to occur at such plug. We shall also assume that at this moment the interrupter contacts are still open. At this time current flows from battery through inductance coil winding 22 and primary 14 to ground. At no time in the operationfi of the system is the battery current entirely excluded from winding22. The interrupter contacts now close momentarily, and during the instant that the contacts remain closed, the battery current flows 7 through winding 22 but is largely shunted outside of the primary 1-1. The interrupter contacts now open and the battery current, augmented by a kick from coil 22, again flows through the primary 14. At the same time, the condenser discharges and sets up high frequency oscillations in the primary circuit, the result being the generation of a high tension ignition current in the secondary and the passing of a spark at the spark plug with which the secondary is connected. The inductance coil excludes the condenser discharge from the battery and forces the condenser oscillations to take a path through the induction coil primary.

The operation above described occurs each time a spark is to be created at any one of the spark plugs.

One particularly advantageous feature of the present invention is the fact that there is practically no arcing at the interrupter contacts. The interrupter contacts never; entirely open the primary circuit, but mere- 'ly determine whether the battery current shall flow in series through windings'22 and 14, or in shunt of winding 14.

While I prefer to utilize an inductance coil unit of the type herein shown and described, I do not wish to limit myself to the use of this particular type of inductance coil unit.

Having thus illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In an ignition system, an induction device including a primary coil, a source of electrical energy, an'inductance coil connc;ted in series to said primary coil but magnetically separted therefrom, and means for intermittently short-circuiting said primary coil. L

2. In an ignition system, an induction device including a primary coil, a source of electrical energ an inductance coilhaving a separate magnetic circuit, and means for alternately compelling the current traversing said inductance coil to flow through said primary coil and for shunting the current traversing the inductance coil outside of the primary coil.

In an ignition system, an induction device including a primary coil, a source of diret current, an inductance coil, said coils and source being normally in series, and

engine driven interrupter means for intermittently short-circuiting said primary coil.

4:. In an ignition system, a first magnetic core, an inductance coil on said core, a second magnetic core magnetically separated from said first core, aprimary coil on said second core, said inductance coil and said primary coii being connected in series, and interrupter mechanism periodically shunting said primary coil and adapted upon opening to compel the surge from said inductance coil to traverse said coil. t

5. In an ignition system, a magnetic core, a primary coil on said core, a secondary coil influenced by the flux variation in said core, an inductance coil uninfluenced by the flux variation in said core, said inductance coil and said primary coil being connected in series, and interrupter mechanism periodically providing a shunt'path around said primary coil and adapted intermittently to compel the current traversing said inductance coil to flow through said primary coil.

0. In an ignition system, an induction de- 'iceincluding a primary coil, a source of electrical energy, interrupter contacts a series circuit normally including said primary coil, and said source, said contacts being shunted across said primary coil, a condenser in parallel with said contacts, means for opening said contacts, and a ma cally isolated inductance coil associated with primary gnetisaid circuit for excluding the discharge from said condenser upon the opening of said contacts from said source of energy.

7. In an ignition system, an induction device including a primary coil, a source of electrical energy, interrupter contacts, a series circuit normally includin said primary coil, and said source 0 electrical energy, said contacts being shunted across said primary coil, a condenser in parallel with said interrupter, means for opening said contacts and an inductance coil having an independent magnetic circuit connected in series with said source for excluding the discharge from said condenser upon the opening of said contacts-from said source.

8. In an ignition system, an induction device including a primary coil, a battery, interru ter contacts, a series circuit normally including said primary coil, and said battery, said contacts being shunted across said primary coil, a condenser in parallel with said interrupter, means for opening said conta ts, and a separate inductance coil in said circuit between said battery and primary coil for excluding the discharge from said condenser upon opening said contacts from said battery. I

9. In an ignition system, an induction de- \ice including a primary coil having one end directly and permanently connected to the ground, a source of direct current, an induction coil, said coils and source being normallyin series, and engine dr1ven interrupter means for intermittently connecting the other end of said primary coil to the ground.

l().- In an ignition system, an induction device including a primary coil having one end permanently connected directly to the ground, a source of direct current normally in series with said primary coil, and an induction coil having one end directly connccted to the other end of said primary coil.

11. In an ignition system, an induction device including a primary coil having one end permanently grounded, a source of direct current, an induction coil, said coils and source being normally in series, and an interrupter connected to short-circuit said entire primary coil and to connect said induction coil directl to the ground;

In witness w iereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of January, 1922.

WILLIAM W. HAWKINS. 

